Post-poll discussion depends on numbers: Pranab

Jangipur (West Bengal), May 7 (IANS) External Affairs Minister and Congress heavyweight Pranab Mukherjee Thursday said nature of post-poll discussions for government formation will depend on the numbers. “Number is important. Various discussions can take place once we know the numbers after Lok Sabha election results are out,” Mukherjee told reporters here.

He was replying to a query about Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury’s reported observation that his party would try for a non-Congress and non-BJP government till May 16 - the day of counting of Lok Sabah election votes.

“I have stated umpteen number of times. Of course, we will wait for the numbers. But the Congress and its allies are fighting the elections to get adequate number of seats to form a government,” Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee exuded confidence that the Congress would do very well in the polls, but refused to hazard a guess on the number of seats the party will get. “I don’t indulge in political astrology.”

On Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s statement that he had no plans to leave the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), Mukherjee said: “It’s a leader’s right to place his views on record. It is not my duty to react on every comment made by the leaders”.

Asked to react to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s comment that he wanted alliance partner Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee as a minister if the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power, he said: “Who will be made a minister that is the prerogative of the prime minister.”